Precautions
by Tokyo-Rose2006
Summary: "Never forget," she said, "that discretion is of the utmost importance. Always, always take precaution." Naruto had always related precautions with safety, but now it seemed that his brought him closer to something more dangerous than he could ever imagine.
1. Chapter 1

Hooooolllyyyyy bejesus. It has been...well, eons ^^; since I've posted anything. In fact, last time I posted it was a Kingdom Hearts one shot. (Insert shameless plug for Time Difference here) Uhm, OK, well, this is my first posted whack at Naruto fanfiction and I really hope you guys appreciate it. Feel free to rip me to pieces for how short it is, but the chapters get longer as the story goes on. OK. Rambling, rambling...oh! Warnings! *Ahem*

**WARNING: This story will contain illicit carnal relations between two sexy gayboys. If that is not your thang (yes, thang), PLEASE VACATE THE PREMISES. Also, this story will (eventually) contain a litany of explicit sexual acts including but not limited to bondage, some (nothing major) non-con, Dominance/submission, explicit language, and OOC ANGSTY NARUTO! GASP!**

****Also, I do not and never will own Naruto in any way shape or form. I will never pull a "50 Shades of Grey" and attempt to make money on Masashi's hard work. Moving on...enjoy! Updates (ROUGHLY) every two weeks. Uuuuh, let me know what you think!

* * *

The sun was resting peacefully behind a pillow fort of clouds, shining with a muted sort of glow. It shone down upon two men, both tired and still somewhat short of breath after exercising in the most heterosexual way possible. The two exited the gym together, glistening with sweat and clutching water bottles.

"Aaah! The feeling of a workout really does beat lounging around the house all day. What would I do without you, Sai?"

The fair-skinned man in question grinned, both hands tugging on the folded ends of the towel slung across his shoulders.

"Gain twenty pounds and go insane, I'd wager."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the cheek in his friend's voice. "Twenty? I think I lost ten in sweat alone. That'll show people that Americans aren't all fat, lazy pigs!" He exclaimed jovially, tucking both hands behind his head as he walked beside Sai.

Naruto was, after all, the poster child for America, all blond hair, blue eyes, and tan skin despite his Japanese mother. She'd left him her high cheekbones, lush lips, and slanted, almond-shaped eyes and then left him altogether. His father, alone from the first few days of Naruto's life, raised him on America's west coast.

Years of happiness despite struggle in sunny California suited Naruto just fine until after graduation. A long talk and several testosterone-filled teary goodbyes saw him studying abroad in England. Four years later, graduating from university, here he was. London had treated him well in almost every way. He had friends that adored him, an active social life, an apartment with his best friend from university, and never had a problem wooing a partner. He had nearly no complaints in life, save for one.

Sai chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah. Fight the good fight against stereotypes with Zumba."

Naruto slung an arm around Sai's slim waist. His fingers rested in the hollow of an exposed hipbone.

"Laugh as you may, it really does seem like everyone hates us..." Naruto thrust his arm into the air. "You're all just jealous!"

"Naruto. I'm from Japan." Sai deadpanned.

A moment of silence passed between them.

"Er, which is exactly _why_ I suggest that we go get sushi!"

"Naruto—"

"My treat!"

Sai was too overpowered by the heinously bright smile on his friend's face to say anything but yes. He sighed and melted against Naruto as all attempts to be annoyed with him disappeared. He really was too cute.

"Your treat."

-x-

It was hours later, after a fun-filled day of Zumba, sushi, and general shenanigans, when Naruto's fantastic mood came to a screeching halt. He'd been nursing a beer with Sai beside him on the couch, sipping daintily at his third glass of wine. A strange Japanese movie about magical cheerleaders from space played on the television but was largely ignored by the two men.

"Oh, come on. Are you _really_ trying to say that Tony Stark is gay for Bruce Banner? He's in love with Pepper Potts!"

"Naruto, they had a _moment_ in that lab at SHIELD and you know it."

The blond burst out in giggles. "Are you kidding me? Sai, you're so damn horny that you want every pretty boy you like to be gay just so you have a chance with him," he chided.

Naruto rose from the couch to grab another beer. He stretched his sculpted arms over his head, making a face at the popping sounds from his shoulders.

"Slut,"

He snatched the empty wine glass that Sai had begun to dangle in the air.

"Well, if Stark and Banner are together, that leaves Thor all to me," Sai giggled pleasantly. He raised his voice as Naruto walked down the short hallway toward the kitchen. "All that beautiful, Asgardian man mine, all mine!"

Naruto laughed to himself. A drunken Sai had always proven to be a horny Sai, so he was not surprised when the heated conversation over comic book-to-movie discrepancies after seeing _The Avengers_ combined with alcohol became this particular conversation. An unconsciously added level of humor came in the form of Sai's exacerbated British accent. When he'd met Sai, the man had had a slight accent that flowed in and out of his daily conversation in untraceable waves. But when drunk, Sai not only sounded like a native, but like a very, very funny one.

"I'd let him hammer me anywhere, anytime."

_Well, he has a point. Chris Hemsworth is a beautiful, beautiful man. _Naruto mused silently, moving about the kitchen, grabbing a beer from the fridge. His thoughts turned happily to men in tights as he reached for the wine and corkscrew. Suddenly his phone rang, echoing its jaunty tune throughout the room.

"Don't answer it! It's girl's night in!" Sai called in a somewhat slurred voice from the living room.

The blond shook his head, pulling the cork from Sai's bottle of wine free with a rewarding pop before setting the metal tool on the counter. Holding the alcohol in one hand, he extracted the singing piece of technology from his back pocket with the other.

"Hello?" Naruto answered, laughter clinging to the edges of his voice.

"Naruto. We require your services."

* * *

OK, I know, I know, it's short. I mean, "What the fuck, TK, I could barely get into it!" short. I know, the second chapter is already a little bit longer. Just bear! PLEASE GOD JUST BEAR WITH ME. Or not. I mean, you can't win 'em all...right? RIGHT? ?

Ten reviews gets an update a week early? 8D

-TKRose


	2. Headlights

Oh, lucky fans! (Well, there was one review, so "fan" is the better term...) Because of my thriving *cough* social life, I won't be able to update tomorrow, so...EARLY UPDAAAATE!Damn. Well, technically it's tomorrow, since it's so late that I'm doing this..Well, never mind then. Boo. :(

OK, well I have a new chapter! The very beginning taste of angst!Naruto, whom I must say that I love. ^.^ I hope you enjoy, lovely readers.

* * *

"Naruto. We require your services," a crisp, posh female voice stated matter of factly. Her diction was not monotonous, but she spoke without even the slightest trace of emotion.

Naruto's voice was strained with anger, his neck stiff with instant tension. "I was promised the night off. You said I wouldn't be needed."

"I understand that, but it does neither change nor remove our need of you. We are not in the business of saying 'no' to our clients."

Sai's voice drifted into the kitchen sweetly calling a slurred version of his name. Naruto lowered his voice to a harsh whisper, taking several brisk steps away from the door.

"It's the middle of the damn night. I've been drinking. Does it_ have _to be me?"

"I suggest that you stop. Transportation will be arranged. Yes, Naruto. You were asked for by name."

Naruto froze. "What?" he asked, his voice a pointed, breathless whisper.

"The details of your service will be given in full upon your arrival, per the usual. I need not remind you of your contractual obligation, Naruto."

Her statement sent a chill down his spine that bitterly rivaled the fire swelling in his chest.

"My contractual—you _swore _to me that my identity—"

"Your identity is safe," the woman said tersely. "It will all be explained to you once you arrive."

Naruto's grip on Sai's wine bottle tightened.

"Fine," he almost spat. He could feel the muscles of his jaw twitching. A deep scowl marred his features.

"A car will arrive for you in half an hour."

The line went dead.

Naruto placed his phone on the counter, then the bottle. He gripped its edge tightly as the familiar weight of resignation settled over him. The blond took a deep breath through his nose. He closed his eyes and blew it out in a huff. _Shit._

He replaced his beer in the refrigerator and twisted the cork back into the wine before heading back to the living room. The movie's credits slid lazily up the television screen accompanied by a sugary Korean pop song. Sai was sleeping lightly on the couch. His head was pillowed on his folded arm, body curled nearly into the fetal position. His moth, with its rosy lips, hung open the slightest bit as shallow breaths came and went rhythmically between them.

Naruto quietly padded across the carpeted floor to pull the afghan off of the back of the sofa. He carefully unfolded it and gingerly spread it across Sai's sleeping form. Stepping back, he grabbed the remote from the coffee table and turned off the television. He cast a glance over his shoulder at his closest friend as he walked toward his bedroom door.

"Some day off," he murmured as he turned his back. With a blasé flick, he shut off the light.

-x-

A gentle breeze blew warmly in the stillness of the night. Goosebumps raised the flesh of Naruto's arms despite the placid weather as he stood on the stoop of his apartment building. He knew within moments his car would arrive. Naruto shuffled his feet, cracked his knuckles, restless.

He'd dressed in a snug black button down and well-tailored black slacks, as usual. His hair was moussed into standing blond spikes, as he tended to wear it. He'd plucked, shaven, waxed, lotioned, and treated himself until he was as smooth and tan as freshly poured caramel, as was required of him. Everything was as it should be, save for it being past midnight on his day off. And yet, there he stood, waiting for his car to arrive.

_Someone has some explaining to do. I've never been disturbed before. Never. And in the middle of the damn night! _The mystery shrouding his abrupt phone call and its nebulous assurance of his safety unsettled Naruto. His unease permeated him so deeply that he felt an unfamiliar relief as bright, approaching headlights forced him to clear his thoughts.

_It's about damn time. _Naruto rubbed the prickling chill from his arms as he loped down the steps of the porch. The sleek white Lincoln Town Car rolled to a gentle stop just as Naruto's polished black loafers trod upon the sidewalk. He pulled open the door, ducking his head to seat himself within the pristine vehicle.

"Where to tonight, Iruka?" Naruto asked blandly without looking up to meet the eyes of the driver.

"The Jacobson estate, sir," Iruka answered as pleasantly as always. The darker skinned man spoke easily with Naruto in an eternally kind voice with the keenest of edges to it. He had a strict type of happiness to him.

"It must be someone's birthday," Naruto grumbled.

"I'm not privy to that information, sir. I'm just the driver."

The wryness floating just on the fringe of Iruka's diction lifted Naruto's sour mood the slightest bit.

"Yeah, well, at least you're not the entertainment," Naruto retorted jokingly.

The airiest of chuckles drifted from the front of the car to Naruto's ears.

"Quite right, sir. Quite right."

A diminutive smirk danced on Naruto's lips even as a sigh slipped from between them.

"Hey, Iruka," he called quietly. His eyelids fluttered to leave only shining slivers of startlingly cerulean eyes to watch the landscape pass beyond the window.

"Yes sir?" The driver's kind brown eyes peered at him in the rearview mirror.

Naruto's eyes slipped shut. He wriggled and squirmed to adjust himself on the black leather seats. Deeming himself comfortable enough, he rested his head against the cool glass of the window.

"Wake me up when we get there, would ya?" he murmured.

Iruka nodded. His gaze lingered on his young passenger for just a moment before returning to the road.

"Of course, sir," he replied dutifully. A sad smile occupied his features.

"Thanks, Iruka," Naruto nearly whispered, and shuffled deeper into the leather, drifting off to the sound of the world passing him by.

* * *

Short again, I know! But the next one...it's gonna be a doozie! Do people even say that anymore...? Probably not. Moving on! I humbly throw myself on the mercy of my (hopefully) growing reader base. Review if you support the arts! Review if you support hot man sex! If you support angsty Naruto! If you support the surprise coming in the next chapteeeer! Or ya know, if you feel like it. 8D

Ah, before I forget! I'll be taking bets as to the voice on the phone. :) I think everyone will be surprised. It'll be announced in coming chapters! Very, very soon...Winner gets a cookie! *cough*And maybe a cameo in an upcoming chapter*cough*

Ta-ta!

T-K06


	3. Recall: Part 1

Alright! Chapter 3 is here! Be forewarned: THIS CHAPTER IS THE FIRST PART OF A FLASHBACK. I just really didn't want to make everything in italics, since it's going to be pretty long. Everything that's italicized is a thought, just to clear things up. So, just keep in mind that this chapter and the next are flashbacks. Kthanksbai!

A lithe, sandy-haired young man sat in class, not remotely paying attention. Political Science was doing its usual bet to bore him to death. It was Tuesday. He was 19. Freshman year at university had passed by relatively quickly for Naruto and was now in its twilight, with only two months remaining. Two months which, in his opinion, were purposefully dragging on to torment him. In short, Naruto was miserable in every conceivable way.

As if his body knew of his internal lamenting, Naruto's stomach growled frightfully. He flattened his palm against his abdomen, frowning. _Man, I need to get a job_, he thought. The churning of his stomach made the image of his father's latest care package come to mind. This one had only lasted a few days. While Naruto's father sent him care packages of food, home items, and—embarrassingly—condoms once a month, Naruto himself was far too proud to admit how hard it was for him to stay afloat a continent away without a job or financial assistance.

A frustrated grumble left the blond as he forced himself to forget his hunger for another day and focus. Or try to. He looked ahead at the whiteboard covered in nearly illegible multicolor writing, diagrams, and taped up newspaper articles. It all swam together in a confusing mass of squiggles and shapes from his places several rows back from the front of the lecture hall. _Shit, I should've paid more attention_. Naruto blinked and refocused his attention, hand poised over his blank notebook to jot down anything he could. He had just begun to record the droning words of his professor when his ever-focused attention was drawn to the conversation that sprang up behind him.

"Did you see it?"

"Yeah, they put on up in the caf, too!"

"God, 'virile young men of sound body and open mind,' this one says. I'd bet my bollocks it's a queer pick up service."

"A cult, I reckon."

Naruto swore under his breath as he realized that he had written the word "cult" on the page before him. He scribbled it out and continued on note taking.

"'No experience needed, excellent pay.' Oi, get this, 'Those not in excellent physical condition and/or describing themselves as unadventurous need not apply.' What is that?"

Naruto heard soft sound of paper being crumpled and then poorly hushed laughter. _That did sound sort of cultish_. Naruto mused to himself. His left hand scrawled across the page, quickly drafting the vital information he had been missing.

_OK. The vitality…of the…free market economy has…become a vital…bargaining tool for presidential hopefuls…in the upcoming…_

"I wonder if they pay per load, eh? Fifty pounds for the face, one hundred pounds if they want it in their mouth."

_The state of…the American economy…suffers…in the mouth…_Naruto started as he took in the jumbled blue ink on the page.

"Son of a bitch!" he growled under his breath.

Marking angrily through yet another Freudian slip up, the blond furrowed his brow, set on paying attention. If those two idiots would just shut the hell up! A consternated frown firmly in place on his face, Naruto raised his head yet again to the professor, dead set on catching up where he had fallen behind. Gripping his pen tightly, Naruto squinted at the board just in time to see her erasing the board.

"That concludes lecture for the day," her voice echoed through the auditorium. "Be prepared to begin presentations tomorrow."

The young blond gaped in horror. _You've got to be fucking kidding me!_ He lamented internally. As the professor returned to erasing his last hope at successfully completing a presentation in less than twenty four hours, students began to mill past him. Unadulterated frustration marred his features with a deep scowl. He stood and began shoving his supplies angrily into his bag. _Loud bastards. How could anyone pay attention with them practically screaming in the next row?_ Naruto continued to fume as the hall began to slowly empty. He sighed. _When the hell am I even going to find time to work with something due every day?_ His immense irritation slowly began to give way to frustrated resignation. Shoving a pen into his back pocket, the all too familiar voices of his classmates caught his attention yet again.

"Call me picky, but 'very flexible hours' and 'substantial compensation' aren't nearly enough for me to do something as shady as all that."

Naruto's ears perked up at that.

"Right. Nobody's that desperate."

His classmates' words hung heavily in the air. Tan hands lugged a heavy satchel onto one shoulder. A furtive glace about the hall showed it almost empty save for the professor and two students at her desk, seemingly begging for extension of their deadline. Naruto's eyes caught sight of a crumpled ball of white paper sitting innocuously on the empty bench. His eyes seemed glued to it, even as the hushed conversation replayed in his mind.

_It probably is some weird gay cult or something_. Naruto turned his back on the bench and the crushed paper. _Or a scam_. He smoothed his shirt, checked to see if his shoes were untied. _Maybe a porno or bullshit modeling agency. Forget it_. The blond shook his head and moved his vibrant blond hair from his eyes. _Nobody's that desperate. Not even me._ He began to sidle out of his place at the center of a bench, blushing, embarrassed of his own intrigue. _What was I even thinking? I am way too good for—_His thoughts were interrupted when his stomach growled loudly and more than a bit painfully. Naruto grimaced, eyes darting once more to the flyer lying bunched just a foot or so behind him.

It had been nearly three days since his last decent meal, if you could call it that. He had scarfed down several bowls of ramen noodles purchased by a kind, pale upperclassman with a penchant for belly shirts from his art class. Never one to accept charity, Naruto had insisted on helping the man move several pallets of canvases to his apartment just off campus. In his zeal to earn his meal, he had almost completely burnt it off by carrying them up the four flights of stairs to Sai's apartment.

Naruto's brow furrowed as he recalled the numerous times he had managed to charm Ruth, Gladys, and Rosemary into giving him breakfast or lunch despite his woefully empty school account. They were all three kind old women, and as they always seemed to fall for Naruto's wolfish good looks, he'd always felt slightly guilty for receiving the meals from the cafeteria workers. More often than not he chalked it up to an eventual onslaught of bad karma and tucked in. Pilfered plates of cafeteria food hardly made for a suitable diet for a growing young man, however, and in his hunger-weakened stat, his ego faltered, allowing his mind a moment of logical clarity.

_It could be a legitimate job that just happens to pay well and advertise strangely._ He turned and reached across the aisle to the bench behind him_. Or I could just be that desperate._ Naruto's hand closed around the wad of paper. _Not that being desperate has to necessarily be a bad thing._ He opened his bag, shoving the crumpled flyer deep into it. _Plenty of people start out in jobs they never saw themselves in. This could be my…stepping stone._ The thin man secured his bag unnecessarily well and began a hurried trek to the exit_. I just need the money, and a job is job._ Naruto pushed open the door to the hall, stepping into the usual gloom of a London morning. _I mean, what's the worst that can happen?_

-x-

Hours later, after his classes had ended for the day, Naruto found himself in a phone booth not far from the school campus. He hadn't wanted anyone to see him make the potentially licentious phone call, so he'd walked a few blocks until he found one at a sufficient distance. Naruto had second guessed himself the entire way, muttering under his breath for the duration of the walk, and once even going so far as turning around and going several steps in the opposite direction. He had hurriedly changed his mind, however, and continued toward the phone booth.

Now within it, Naruto clenched the abused flyer in one hand and held the receiver in the uncharacteristically trembling other. His heart hammered with each cold whir of the dial tone.

"Come on, come on, pick up," he murmured breathlessly. "No one answer…Pick up…Fuck, I can't—"

"Hello?"

Naruto's entire body froze. His breath hitched and he just scarcely managed to whisper, "U-uh, hi."

The line remained silent. Only Naruto's heavy breathing could be heard in the booth. He swallowed, though it came out as more of a gulp, and cleared his throat.

"I'm, uhm, calling about the job? From the flyer?"

His voice sounded too loud to him. In the small space it was easy to hear its waver, the immature lilt that made his statements sound too like questions. He swallowed again. There was another silence. Then a voice: icy, distant, and eerily dripping with etiquette.

"Your name?"

It was a woman's voice. She sounded younger than her tone led him to believe. He suddenly wondered how old she was, what she looked like.

"What?" He shook his head as if to dislodge his distraction.

"What is your name, child?"

Naruto knew he should have been upset, indignant, but the woman spoke with such a frigid politeness that he could only answer placidly, "Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki."

"Height?"

He blinked. How random. "I'm six fe—oh, uh, two meters, I think? No, wait, uuuh, 1.7? Or maybe it's 1.9?" Even a year in the UK hadn't left Naruto with a firm grasp of the metric system. Conversions had continued to be an embarrassing daily struggle in his life. He fumbled for a few painful moments, cheeks going pink as he attempted to do the figures in his head. After what felt like an eternity, Naruto conceded defeat and cleared his throat.

"I'm 6'1"."

"Hm. Weight?"

Naruto glanced down at himself. He fiddled with the hem of his tee shirt, suddenly self-conscious. He could not for the life of him remember the last time he had weighed himself. The blond strained to remember but could come up with nothing. Not wanting to sound stupid for a second time, he made a ballpark estimate and began attempting to mentally convert it to stones. Naruto sighed.

"I'm not, uh, I'm not entirely sure."

He could hear the woman do something akin to clearing her throat.

"Hair and eye color?"

He was glad to have a question to which he finally knew the answer. "Blond, blue," he stated definitively.

A silence followed, unbroken for several long moments. As it stretched Naruto began to fidget. The taciturnity of the woman's voice had begun to fill him with a strange agitation. He hated that something in her speech unsettled him, made him question himself. He drummed his fingers against the glass wall. Blue eyes idly took in nails that had been bitten down too far. Finally, it seemed, her voice filled his ear.

"In a moment I will give you an address. You will arrive at the address tomorrow afternoon at exactly 2:15 for your interview. Make sure you are freshly showered. Wear loose-fitting clothing, all black. Do you understand?"

Naruto's mouth hung open as he tried to process everything he'd been told. He could feel his head nodding before he managed to speak.

"Uh, yeah. 2:15, shower, loose black clothes. Got it."

There was a beat of silence before the woman began to tell him the address. Scrambling to snatch a pen from his back pocket, Naruto pressed the crumpled flyer against the wall of the phone booth and began hastily scribbling it down. Somehow he doubted she would repeat herself.

"Tardiness is unacceptable." The woman's voice seemed to soften for a moment and was nearly close to becoming sweet. "We look forward to meeting you, Naruto."

Thoughts buzzed in Naruto's head. "Hey, wait, I still have some—"

A soft click sounded, followed by the dial tone. Naruto sighed, hanging his head. "—questions."

He hung up the receiver, mind teeming with unanswered questions. For a moment Naruto stood silent in the small booth, trying to absorb everything that happened. A time passed, and still he felt no closer to understanding his strange new position. Shaking his head, the blond pushed open the door to the booth. He walked toward the dormitories, his mind a cacophony of question.

Naruto tried to clear his mind but his frazzled nerves refused. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He stopped. The blond managed to empty his thoughts, only one burning query remaining. He turned his head, bright cerulean eyes glancing back at the phone booth.

"We?"


	4. Recall: Part 2

_**OK, wait! I know what you're going to** **say! **I assure you, friends and fans, that I'm really sorry that this update was so late. I've just been totally swamped with getting ready for school. I move in seven days from today! Ah! So excited! So, if you'll bear with me until everything is settled, I'll be getting back on track. Excuses aside, this chapter is twice as long as all the others, so it should make up for it at least a little. :( Also, this chapter is the last installment of the flashback arc. There may or may not be a few more flashbacks later in the story, but nothing really like this. Also, character introduction and plot thickenings! Woo! So, enjoy. (And forgive me? 8D)_

* * *

_Holy shit, it's like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory! _Naruto wondered at the shining chrome walls of the elevator. His fingertips slid across the smooth surface, his eyes glued to the pristinely clean glass floor. A morbid fascination filled him as he noted his growing distance from the ground. _Even the buttons are glass. Fancy._ Naruto's wide blue eyes roamed the surprisingly roomy space, taking in all of its elegance. The button numbered 21 glowed softly.

"Sixth floor." A dainty voice floated from seemingly nowhere. The elevator continued to rise.

Naruto checked his watch. It read 2:05. He sighed with relief.

"Phew. I thought I was going to be late."

"Seventh floor." The car came to a graceful halt. "Seventh floor," the soft voice repeated.

The polished doors opened slowly, causing Naruto's reflection to disappear, replaced with the smiling faces of three very handsome young men. They entered quickly, none of them acknowledging Naruto's presence. The blond swallowed. All of their faces shared the same countenance: a bored, seemingly apathetic frown. The youngest of them stood out more than the others, his platinum blond hair and violet eyes seeming too bright to be real.

"Uhm, what floor?" Naruto murmured nervously.

The man standing closest to Naruto sighed through his nose. His eyes slid shut and he raised his arms, clasping his hands behind his neck.

"Seventeen," he seemed to growl.

Naruto nodded, quickly pressing the button. _Those tattoos had to hurt, _the blond thought, glancing at the dark haired man. _What kind of psycho tattoos their face? Although…it's still a nice face. A very nice face. What a jaw._

"See something you like, Blondie?"

Naruto started, shaken from his reverie. "Do I—uh—what? Sorry. I mean, not that I was—I just—"

The brunet smirked and leaned closer to Naruto. Two long fingers with wickedly pointed nails grasped his chin. His face flamed.

"You're not the first person I've caught staring, kid."

Indignation rose in Naruto's chest only to be tamped down by embarrassment. He racked his mind for a defensive retort, but the increasingly smug look on that handsome face scattered his thoughts. Naruto tried to think of anything but the two bold red markings highlighting the man's smooth, high cheekbones and his wolfish grin.

"Such a pretty little thing," the tattooed man murmured. He turned Naruto's head to one side, then the other. Dark eyes drank in the slope of Naruto's jaw and slid down his neck.

"What are you doing in a place like this?" He eyed the button panel and raised a neatly plucked brow. The brunet's eyes narrowed into Naruto's. He turned the younger man's head to look directly into his wide blue eyes. "How'd you get mixed up with the Council?"

The third man stepped forward from the back of the car and placed a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Stop it, Kiba. He's obviously terrified enough without you antagonizing him." His voice was as smooth and placid as still water.

Naruto turned toward the other man and froze, retort lodged in his throat for the second time. _Is he even real?_ His gaze slid slowly over the man. He drank in the man's flawless pale skin, lush pink lips, high, clear forehead, and eyes so pale that they appeared to be gray.

"Well, he's not terrified _enough_ if you ask me, Neji. Given the way he's been eye fucking us since we got on, I'd say he's just fine." The silver haired man showed a mouth of pointed white teeth as he spoke.

Kiba leered at Naruto as a lewd smirk grew and rested comfortably on his face. His eyes briefly travelled the length of Naruto's body.

"Fine _is _the word to describe him, Suigetsu."

He released his grip on Naruto, trailing his index finger along the sensitive underside of the blond's jaw. The digit lingered just on the tip on his chin before falling back to Kiba's side.

"There's no way they won't choose him. He'll make a nice acquisition," he said almost contemptuously over his shoulder. Suigetsu sucked his teeth while Neji's face remained impassive.

The car came to a graceful halt and the gentle computerized voice announced that they were on the seventeenth floor. Kiba turned to face Naruto again, his smirk having melted into a smile that was almost friendly.

"Good luck, Blondie."

He turned his back and strolled toward the door of the car. One hand tucked into his pocket, the other rose lazily into a salute.

"See ya soon."

The brushed metal doors slid quietly shut and the elevator again began to rise. Naruto raised a hand to touch his jaw, still warm from Kiba's touch. His fingers trailed over the gooseflesh that had begun to form there. A shiver ran through him.

Naruto's mouth fell open as his racing thoughts came to a screeching halt, his mind having finally caught up to the present aftermath of his strange encounter.

"What the fuck just happened?!"

His incredulous voice echoed in the tight space and rang in his ears. He could feel his heart begin to race and his breath quicken. The silence following his outburst embarrassed him even more than his time spent with the mysterious, beautiful strangers. He needed answers, and soon, or it felt like his brain would explode. Naruto sighed, his shoulders losing their instantly acquired tension as he realized the only answer he would receive was the soft, emotionless voice replying, "Eighteenth floor."

—x—

Naruto was alternating between pacing around the small car and standing with his arms tight across his chest, worrying his lip and tapping his toe against the glossy transparent floor. He had been left feeling thoroughly put out by his conversation—if it could be called that—with the mysterious man named Kiba. _What if they really are some weird gay cult?! Who the hell calls themselves the Council? I don't think I can go through with this. Not for all the money in the world, not for all the tea in China, not for all the noodles in a pack of Ra—_A light chime and the pleasantly programmed voice permeated the silence of the car and disrupted Naruto's thoughts. His breath hitched at the sound of the artificially demure voice.

"Twenty first floor,"

The blond's mouth felt suddenly dy. He tried to swallow, but a lump had formed in his throat. When the doors to the car began to part, Naruto's heart sank as if they were the lips of the mouth of Hell itself opening to swallow him whole. Instead the door chimed once more, sliding open, and he was faced with a long, neatly kept and well decorated hallway. He blinked once as the innocuous scene sunk in before hanging his head with a sigh.

"Idiot," Naruto mumbled under his breath.

He forced his feet to move forward, shoving his hands into the pockets of his low slung black sweatpants. Bright blue eyes took in the gleaming brushed steel and glass décor, much like that of the elevator, as he stepped out of the car. The wall to his left was composed completely of tall, rectangular windows, and the wall to the right, of scrubbed metal. The space was strangely off-putting, austere in its cleanliness and stylishness. It was modern, tasteful, and completely terrifying.

Embarrassment flooded Naruto's face with color. He was suddenly very aware of his sweatpants, how they barely covered his bright yellow briefs, and his snug orange tee shirt. His skin became hypersensitive to the threadbare cotton of his shirt and the worn leather of his flip flops. He raised his hand to rub self-consciously at his exposed bicep. The sudden wave of discomfort led Naruto to one of the glass-seated chrome chairs. He sat, arms crossed across his chest, and almost immediately his foot began to jump, knee rising and falling in a near frantic rhythm. He hated ambiguity, and this, not knowing what to expect, or when, or from whom, was beginning to wear him down. For what felt like the millionth time in five minutes, the blond reconsidered leaving in the classy glass and metal deathtrap of an elevator.

Naruto's fingers began to drum loudly against the glass seat of his chair. The sounds of his nervous twitching were the only things to be heard in the seemingly endless empty corridor. There was a round faced clock on the wall, made surprisingly of a clear, molded plastic. It read 2:12 in abstractly written numbers. It was one of the few miraculous times Naruto could recall being on time for anything, much less being early.

The blond jiggled, tapped, and drummed his knee, foot, and fingers for what seemed like a small eternity.

"Exactly 2:15 for your interview, blah, blah, blah. Be freshly showered, do you understand?" Naruto smirked at his own awful false British accent.

"Well, Mr. Uzumaki, I certainly hope that I never sounded that way during our phone conversation."

Naruto's head snapped up and to the right, toward the clock, and to the woman standing in the doorway just beneath where it was mounted. His mouth hung open, cheeks blossoming with a blush. Before he could attempt any form of half-assed apology, the woman interrupted him. She stepped to the side, pushing open the steel door behind her.

"You're early. Come in, we'll begin as soon as the final member of your interviewing committee arrives."

The blond nodded dumbly and rose. His cheeks were still dusted with a blush as he scurried past the woman quickly, shoulders ducked and eyes diverted. _Way to go, Uzumaki_. The space he entered was a large, lofty office. Glass walls overlooking the city gave the spacious area a chic modern look, as well as the familiar scrubbed steel theme applied to the desk just before the far window and the several chairs set out across the room. A glass and metal coffee table fit neatly in the space left between three chairs angled near each other in the center of the office. The far wall was filled completely by steel bookcases and a jarringly bright red bar, fully stocked with high end liqueurs.

"Jesus Christ, where do you keep digging these guys up?"

Naruto's head snapped toward the sharp, patronizing voice that had insulted him. His lips turned down into a confused grimace. Inhabiting one of the tasteful office chairs was a woman with long blonde hair tied back in a messy ponytail. She was stretched out in an ungainly position: her legs bent at the knee over one arm of the chair, her arms cushioned her head, propping it up against the other chair arm. The green material of her dress fell nearly to the ground in wrinkled bunches, while beneath it a striped gray camisole clung snugly to her more than ample frame.

_Whoa. I didn't know they even came that big…_

"I mean, really? This scrawny American was the best you could do?"

Naruto could feel his eyebrow twitch.

"I apologize, Ms. Tsunade, but he was one of very few that actually called in regard to our ad. While he seems an unappealing choice on the surface, he has a certain quality about him that the others did not."

The blonde woman snorted. "Yeah, he's dumb. And mute too, it seems."

Frustration bubbled in Naruto's chest. _Just calm down. You need this job. Don't let them get to you, Naruto. She's just a cranky old broad._

"I assure you, he does retain the ability to speak. Perhaps he has grown weary of _abusing _said ability by saying things of little to no value."

A derisive cackle shot from between Tsunade's lips. "Careful, he might not even realize you're making fun of him!"

The softest, most ladylike of giggles floated across the room at the blonde's comment.

"Take him back before Kakashi gets here. He'll eat the kid alive," the buxom woman sighed, stretching herself even more indecently over her chair. "I mean, that hair, those eyes, that _tee shirt. _He's obviously compensating for _something."_

Naruto whirled around on Tsunade, shoving an accusing finger in her direction.

"Look here you old hag, you don't know the first thing about me! My name is Uzumaki Naruto and I'm not dumb, I'm a God damn genius! I'm not scrawny, I'm _lithe! _And for your information, I was born with blue eyes and I'm a 100 percent _natural _blond! You'd know that if you'd stop running your mouth about me like I'm not even here. I'm right in front of you!"

His chest heaved with the backlash of shouting so loudly. A ruddy flush had painted his cheeks and frustration had set his brow. Naruto swallowed to coat his dry throat and dropped his hand to his side, his fingers quickly tightening into a fist.

"I only answered your stupid ad because I needed the money, but if it means dealing with people like you, I'd—I'd rather stay broke forever!"

Without sparing another glance to either of the two women left silenced in the pristine office, Naruto spun on his heel and attempted to storm out, only to run face-first into a firm chest. He reared back quickly, taking several steps in the opposite direction of his warm obstacle. The blond's mouth fell open as he took in the appearance of the newcomer. A silence meandered about the room uncomfortably like an uninvited guest.

"Well, I don't think that'll be necessary, Mr. Uzumaki."

The stranger spoke clearly and with a voice that was strong and clear, hanging over Naruto's head, deadly as an icicle. The sound landed upon the blond's ears flawlessly, despite the silky black mask slung over the lower half of the man's face. What was exposed of the man's face, his high cheekbones and piercing blue eyes, was handsomely proportioned. Naruto drank in the man's stature, his appearance, and the slickness of his voice, and was deterred from continuing both his tirade and dramatic exit. Something about the man's eyes was hypnotic, intriguing, and frightening all at once. _He must be Kakashi._

"Sorry I was late. A black cat crossed my path and…well, you know. Didn't want to upset the spirits, so I had to take the long way across town."

Naruto's mouth shut, all previous effects of the man's imposing appearance disappearing.

"And the dainty, ever-hospitable Lady Tsunade does tend to get a bit testy if she misses her afternoon tea."

Another charming snort left the blond woman's mouth.

"But, in the spirit of moving forward, I apologize for her conduct and implore you to reconsider, Mr. Naruto Uzumaki, natural blond. I assure you that we can make it worth your while."

An uneven smattering of pink rose over Naruto's cheekbones. Something in the way this man spoke was slowly convincing him to remain. He cast a narrow-eyed glare over his shoulder at Tsunade before turning round once more and looking into the eyes of the tall, platinum haired man. He looked into their depths, searching for sincerity. Satisfied after an intense, silent moment, Naruto gave a slow nod and relaxed his hands from fists, taking another step back. Beneath the mask, the man seemed to smile.

"Alright, Mr. Uzumaki, since you've graciously decided to give us a second chance, we can move on with your interview." Kakashi abruptly turned in the opposite direction and began to walk toward the bar at the back of the room.

Tsunade grumbled, "If that's what you want to call it."

Suddenly the woman from the hallway was standing too close to Naruto for his liking. The clipboard she was holding nearly touched his shoulder.

"Do you have any tattoos?" Her clipped, professional tone sounded ridiculous to Naruto's ears using the word "tattoos."

"Yes, one on my stomach," he answered.

She scribbled something on her clipboard.

"Piercings?"

"My ears are pierced, if that counts," Naruto replied unsurely.

"Of course it does," The woman replied almost tiredly. "Any noticeable scars?"

"Yes," Naruto answered quietly. "On my face."

Tsunade honked out another laugh. "Cut yourself shaving, Blondie?"

Naruto leveled her with a glare that quieted her laughs. The clipboard touched Naruto's arm, causing him to start and look back at the woman beside him. She was peering up at the blond's face, apparently attempting to discern his scars from the smooth expanse of tan skin.

"They're there. I promise."

Her eyes, a lovely shade of green, Naruto noticed, flicked up to his and lingered for a moment before again returning to her clipboard. She made a note of something before continuing.

"Do you now or have you ever had any sexually communicable diseases?"

The annoying blush returned to Naruto's face. He cleared his throat. "Um, no. No, I've never had one."

The woman raised a finely shaped eyebrow. "Yes, I'm sure. However, conditionally upon employment you will receive a screening for all sexually transmitted diseases including HIV and AIDS from an independent clinic of our choosing at no cost to you." The words fell so smoothly from her mouth that Naruto wondered just how many times she'd repeated them so disinterestedly.

"Uh, OK."

"Are you a virgin?" There was no teasing, no patronizing to her words, and not a hint of curiosity.

He could feel the warmth of his face. "No," Naruto answered.

She made a series of mysterious marks on her clipboard before turning sharply on her heel. The sound of her shoes clicking against the gleaming floor echoed in the space.

"Now if you could remove your clothing, Mr. Uzumaki," her voice floated over her shoulder nonchalantly.

Naruto's mouth fell open. "What?!"

Kakashi casually approached the chair in which Tsunade was lounging. He propped himself on his elbow, shifting his weight onto one hip and crossing his legs at the ankle.

"No need to be shy, Naruto—May I call you Naruto?—you can keep your underwear on. We're not _that_ thorough."

The thinly veiled mirth in the masked man's voice only added to Naruto's rapidly mounting embarrassment. He could feel his cheeks and ears prickle with a heated blush. _You've got to be kidding me._

A familiarly curt voice pierced the air. "This is a standard procedure and a prerequisite for conditional employment, Mr. Uzumaki. As uncomfortable as it may seem, I assure you it is strictly for liability purposes."

_ Liability my ass…_Naruto's hands began to fidget with the scraggly hem of his worn orange tee shirt. His teeth sought his lip and began to worry it as he fiddled with the cotton. _Okay. I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I can do anything. It's just—_

"Come on, kid. I don't have all day!" Tsunade honked, rising to her elbow and glaring at Naruto. "We've seen plenty of other bodies in here with more to show than yours so just strip, disappoint us, and get this over with."

Naruto grit his teeth, pulling his shirt over his head. He pointed to his tattooed torso with one hand while animatedly waving the other toward Tsunade.

"Does this look disappointing to you?!" He shouted, beginning to remove his pants. "Uzumaki Naruto has never disappointed _anyone_, you hear me, old lady?" Naruto threw his sweatpants and shirt to the ground angrily and crossed his arms over his chest with an angry huff.

There was a silence for several moments in which everyone seemed to be surveying the blond. The only sound was the ice in Kakashi's drink tinkling against the glass and the incessant scratching of a pen against paper. In the midst of the heavy silence, realization landed heavily on Naruto as he stood, nearly naked, before the three strangers. _Way to go, Uzumaki. _His teeth worried his lip ever harder and his cheeks felt unbearably warm. _How could this get any worse?_ He thought morosely.

"Not bad, kid, but that temper is gonna have to go if you want to be in this line of work." Tsunade spoke in a voice that, finally, wasn't laced with rudeness or irritation. The blonde woman rose slowly, stretching as she left her chair. "Nice ink, by the way." She walked toward Naruto, her crossed arms accentuating her large breasts. "What do you think, Kakashi?" She called over her shoulder.

Kakashi, who had somehow crossed the room to stand behind Naruto without him noticing (1), nodded. "You're right, he is a bit thin, but well-muscled. Healthy hair and skin." His fingers grasped Naruto's bicep. "Reasonably strong. Apparently well-endowed."

Naruto couldn't help the laugh that escaped him at the paradoxically comical placidity of Kakashi's comment. "Uh, thank you," he giggled.

"Don't get cocky, kid," Tsunade replied with a smile. She walked in a circle around Naruto, thoroughly sizing him up from top to bottom. When she was standing in front of him again, she seemed pleased. Kakashi came to stand beside her, drink in hand.

"So. Final verdict?"

The silver haired man cocked his head to the side, swirling the liquid in his glass. "I think he's perfect for uh, _you know who,_" he answered with a sort of muted glee. "And just in time for his birthday. What luck."

"Perfect? Well, I guess so. He always did like a challenge. And hey, they say opposites attract." Tsunade chuckled.

They shared a look that Naruto didn't quite understand before Tsunade left Kakashi's side to speak to the woman with the clipboard and the silver haired man approached Naruto more closely.

"It seems we have a place for you, if you're interested, Naruto," Kakashi said smoothly, his eyes (2) meeting the blond's kindly. "What do you say?"

A bright smile split Naruto's face. "Really?! Yes! Thank you!"

Kakashi seemed to be smiling again, if his eyes closing and resembling the shape of upside down u's was any indication. He held out his right hand. "Thank _you, _Naruto. We'll be in touch."

Naruto grasped Kakashi's hand, shaking it fervently and thank him again. Kakashi returned the shake, albeit with less enthusiasm, and released Naruto's hand, taking a step back.

"Alright, you're free to go. That lovely lady will escort you downstairs and fill you in on a few things. Have a nice afternoon." He turned, walking back to the bar in the far end of the room. "Oh, and you can put your clothes back on."

Naruto blushed and hurriedly reached for his clothing and pulled on his shirt. As he stood to tug on his pants, Tsunade came to stand before him, hands on her hips.

"Sorry to give you such a hard time, kiddo. I just knew there was more to you than this silent, blushing kid that walked in here." She smiled, and for the first time there was no trace of mockery.

The blond man raised a hand and scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I get kind of nervous in front of strangers. Thanks, I guess," he laughed.

Something in Tsunade's smile turned almost sad. "Welcome to our little business. See you around, kid."

Naruto nodded and walked around the woman toward the door. He opened it, entering the same austere hallway and found himself standing before the elevator he had been so afraid of earlier. He pressed the down button and pushed his hands into his pockets.

"Well, that was weird," he murmured to himself. His eyes watched the lit numbers above the door skip forward from 1 to 21. A relieved sigh left him. "At least I have a job. Even though I'm not sure what kind of job it is…"

"What was that, Mr. Uzumaki?"

The blond jumped as the woman from earlier appeared beside him. "Uh, nothing. Just thinking out loud," he muttered.

"Hm." The woman remained silent for a moment. "Do you have any questions?"

"Um, a few…" Naruto trailed off as the elevator door opened with a light sound.

The two boarded the car together in silence.

"Such as?" The woman asked as the elevator dropped smoothly toward the ground.

Something in her voice had changed, sounding almost remorseful. Naruto turned to look at her. _She can't be that much older than I am. _He looked over her tightly pinned hair and well-tailored clothing. It all seemed to betray her soft, young face. Everything else about her seemed primped, polished, and proper, except…_Why pink?_

"Uh, what kind of work will I actually be doing?" The blond watched the world pass through the wall of the elevator.

A sound almost like a sigh left the woman's mouth. "Unfortunately, Mr. Uzumaki, the downfall of this business is that your obligations will vary from job to job. Upon arrival, you will be informed of what's required of you each time your services are required. I regret that there is little more I can tell you on the matter."

The abstract answer left Naruto feeling somewhat unsettled, but the elevator's gentle technological voice alerted them that they had reached the ground floor before he had time to dwell on it. The doors slid open to reveal the upscale lobby of the high-rise. The young woman left the car, high heels clacking on the shining marble floor. She stood beside the elevator as Naruto exited.

"If there are no other questions you need answered, then this will be where we part. Have a nice day, Mr. Uzumaki."

Naruto smiled at her, a genuine, bright grin that melted the hearts of all those who witnessed it. "Call me Naruto," he said happily.

A small smile managed to tug at the woman's lips. "Alright. Have a nice day, Naruto."

"Thanks," the blond replied. He began to turn around, but halted. "You know, you never told me your name."

A look akin to shock momentarily fleeted across the woman's face. Her clear, green eyes softened as she looked into the cerulean depths of Naruto's orbs. A gentle smile lifted the corners of her stylishly painted mouth.

"Sakura," she replied quietly.

Naruto's grin spread over his face. "Have a nice day, Sakura!" He called and turned to leave.

Sakura watched the young man's back retreat and her smile slowly slid from her face. She boarded the elevator and pressed the glass button marked 21. The pinkette (3) crossed her arms around herself, staring at the reflection she cast in the shining metal of the elevator doors. As the car rose, her arms tightened around her thin frame.

_It never gets easier, _she thought to herself. _But Naruto…something about him is different. _She watched the city skyline shrink to nothing as she rose to the top of the building. _He's like a walking ray of sunshine. _Sakura chuckled sadly to herself. _And we could all use more sunshine. Especially in this business. _The pink haired woman stood in silence for several pensive moments before the car came to a gentle stop.

"Twenty first floor," the elevator informed her. "Twenty first floor."

With a sigh, she exited the familiar car and walked slowly toward the door to the office. _I only hope this job doesn't take that light from him. _She turned the handle and pushed the door open. _I couldn't handle seeing it happen to another one. _

"What do you think, Sakura? He's perfect, isn't he?" Tsunade asked cheerfully, her usual drink in her hand.

The woman in question closed the door behind her silently. She faced the two figures standing nonchalantly in the office with a smile.

"Yes, ma'am," she replied. "Perfect."

* * *

Do you forgive/hate me yet?! :DDDD? Well, that was like, emotionally draining, so you should all feel loved. Because you are. :3 Mama TK loves all her readers. Mhm, yep, I do. SO, I can NOT believe that NO ONE guess that the voice on the phone was _Sakura. _Haha. I'm an evil bitch. But! To all you SasuNaruSasu fangirls and boys that are anti-Sakura, don't worry! I am too! In case you haven't noticed, my Sakura is going to be just a _little _bit different. So, yep.

Lots of stuff happened, but the plot is starting to thicken! It's about to get gooooooood. The next chapter introduces Naruto's "job" and all that in entails. Also, the long awaited chapter: Enter the Sasuke! Don't wanna miss that, right? RIGHT?! Heh. Hehe. Right...Well, see you there!

**(1) **He's a ninja, remember?! Lol. I couldn't resist.

**(2) **I'm going for the non-eyepatchy Kakashi, but his mouth and nose are still covered. I just like it better that way.

**(3) **I've heard the term before, and it's the only way to describe her hair appropriately…Yeah. Moving on.


	5. Arrival

Hey guys, I'm back! *Waits for storm of rotten tomatoes to stop* Ok, so...Here's the thing. I really just lost passion for this story. That, combined with the incredible workload I faced this semester just really slowed down any creative process I could have hoped to have. But never fear! I've actually rekindled my love for this story and its plotline. However, my updates will remain somewhat infrequent for the next month or so. Finals are almost here, though, so the next update should be in about a month and then every two weeks or so after that.

So, if you don't want to fry my eyeballs with onions and stab me with rusty spoons, please enjoy. Seriously, I'm begging you. Please.

* * *

"Sir? Sir, we're here."

Light filtered spottily into Naruto's eyes as he slowly blinked them open. He rubbed his eyes with his knuckles, ridding them of the final vestiges of sleep. He glanced blearily at the person before him.

"Iruka?" he grumbled, sitting up slowly.

The tanned face before him smiled tenderly. Iruka reached into his coat, withdrawing a navy blue handkerchief. He extended it to Naruto.

"You'd better wipe your face," Iruka suggested in his usual kind, stern voice.

Naruto's hand flew to his mouth, his cheeks flushing. "Thanks. I didn't mean to fall asleep that deeply." The blond wiped his mouth and chin with the silky cloth before sheepishly handing it back to the chauffeur.

Iruka took the handkerchief and, tucking it back into his jacket without comment, stepped back to allow his passenger enough room to exit. As the blond left the vehicle, Iruka's dark eyes scanned his person for any type of imperfection. Discreetly, he took in every detail of Naruto's appearance: the folds of his shirt, the fit of his slacks at his waist, his crooked tie.

Without hesitation, he stepped forward and adjusted the offensively angled neckwear, centering it and smoothing the front of Naruto's shirt for good measure. He then stepped back and dropped his hands to his sides, looking into the blond's eyes.

"Thanks," Naruto murmured sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

Iruka inclined his head with a modest smile. "Nonsense, I have to look after you. Madame Sakura has a fit over you boys when you're not pristine, you know." Naruto chuckled softly. "Honestly, between you and Kiba, I feel more like a nanny than a chauffeur at times."

The blond smiled brightly. "Where would I be without you, Iruka?"

"Stranded, sir,"

The soft smile that had occupied Iruka's features faltered as he looked into the younger man's vividly blue eyes. He raised a hand and placed it on Naruto's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.

"Have a good night, sir," he said softly. "I'll see you in the morning."

Even in the darkness of the night, Iruka could see the light in Naruto's eyes dim just a little. His face hardened into a well cut jaw and high cheekbones, all traces of smiling softness having receded into a handsome mask. They stood for a moment in silence.

Naruto cast a sidelong glance at the driver before tucking his hands in the pockets of his well-pressed slacks. A halfhearted smile just managed to tilt the corners of his mouth. His eyes flickered to Iruka's for a moment, lingering on the warm brown gaze of the other man.

"Good night, Iruka," Naruto nearly whispered.

Without another word, the blond headed for the opulent manor before him. As he loped up the stairs, he cast a look at the glowing moon and was suddenly awash with a soft, sick jealousy. _I wish I could be that far away_, he thought, and knocked twice on the door.

—x—

"Naruto. I'm sure you're simply brimming with questions."

Naruto rolled his eyes, but remained silent. He'd learned some time ago that it was never safe to assume that Sakura would be pleasant upon arrival. More often than not it seemed she found an exquisite pleasure in being unkind in only the most civil of ways. Naruto assumed that she would always remain a mystery.

The tap of Sakura's heels against the marble floor echoed as she strode quickly toward one of the twin spiral staircases in the foyer. As the two of them began to climb the stairs, Naruto idly let his eyes wander over the remarkable decadence of the estate. A long, thin Oriental rug lined the stairs that were carved from the same marble as the floors. Thickly tufted and intricately woven with wool of the most beautiful hues, the blond always felt somewhat guilty for walking on it. The stair rails were wrought iron bent and formed into a delicate filigree pattern of leaves and vines. Masterpieces of exorbitant beauty and value lined the beautifully painted walls. Elegance reigned.

Looking past the decadence of the house, Naruto took in Sakura. He could not recall a time when she had appeared before him less than immaculately dressed and polished, and tonight was no exception. Her hair was pulled back neatly into a high pink bun. A diamond comb held it in place while curled tendrils fell to frame her delicate face. Her lips were a demure shade of burgundy to match the well-fitted dress that clung to her slim hips and petite waist. A large diamond hung from her neck on a thin gold chain. Her nails were an even, glossy red.

It could have been intimidating, Naruto realized, had he not been exposed to it all for so long. The extravagance, the opulence, it was everyday life for him. Even Sakura and her icy beauty held little effect on him after all the time he'd spent in various mansions and manors and estates. Picturesque austerity had become uncomfortably familiar.

They reached the third floor in silence. The short walk from the staircase to Sakura's office was only slightly more eventful, as the clicking of her shoes returned. Both of them stopped before a set of extravagantly carved mahogany double doors. Sakura pushed them open, not waiting for Naruto to enter before walking in and sitting down in one of two large, Victorian-style armchairs.

"You have ten minutes to ask any questions you may have," she began primly. "Immediately following, you've fifteen minutes to ready yourself on the second floor, as you're expected in the parlor in half an hour." Sakura smoothed her already pristine dress, lacing her fingers on her knee and looking to Naruto expectantly.

Naruto seated himself in the chair opposite Sakura and sighed. "Why am I here?"

The face that Sakura made at Naruto's question suggested that were she any other woman she might have rolled her eyes. "I'm sure I don't need to recall the terms of your contract every night that your services are required." Her voice lilted with thinly veiled pretention.

Naruto grit his teeth. "You know what I mean," he said tightly. "How did someone know my name?" Despite his vehemence, a frigid jolt of apprehension shot down his spine as the words left him.

Sakura's face slid from its visage of arrogant amusement to an annoyed sort of ambivalence. Her painted lips fell into a small, bothered frown. "Well, I may have…misspoken." Her fingers tightened across her satin-clad knee. "As Mistress Tsunade relayed to me, a small party requested you, Neji, and Kiba. Or, more accurately, the dog, the robot, and the American, as she cares to call you. Mistress Tsunade says that these…benefactors requested you based on appearance. To our knowledge, your identity is safe." The pink haired woman's long, elegant fingers loosened at her knee. "I apologize for worrying you, but I had to ensure your cooperation." Sakura's eyes hardened in tandem with her voice. "Not that it was a particularly necessary precaution."

Her words washed over him, reassuring in their finality, but something still bothered him. The same anxious wariness sat uncomfortably in Naruto's stomach.

"You still have a few minutes. Anything else?"

The blond curled his lip at Sakura's blatant flaunting of her authority. Even though she was only the messenger between Naruto and his employers, she loved to brandish her position with the higher ups as a type of preventative measure against Naruto and the others speaking or acting in any way that she found unacceptable. It galled him.

"Guess not," Naruto responded coolly, standing. "Can you send some coffee down? I didn't really get a lot of sleep." His subtle jab brought a smirk to his lips as he turned from Sakura and began making his way toward the door.

"Certainly," Sakura responded as primly as ever. "You will be needing your energy, won't you?"

Naruto gripped the doorknob tightly. A retort was lodged in his throat, but he swallowed it. _It's not worth provoking her. _He thought. He burned to turn around and wipe the smirk from her face with every scalding reprisal he'd ever wanted to scream at her beautifully painted face. Instead, he jerked the doorknob and stormed out of the room, slamming the heavy wooden door behind him.

In the hallway, away from Sakura, he was immediately calmer. Always having been a person that couldn't stay angry for long, he welcomed the familiar feeling of his tension sliding from his shoulders as his feet carried him down the hall to the stairs. He ascended the carpeted staircase in deep concentration. _I wonder who requested us. _It echoed in his mind.

Over the nearly five years that Naruto had been employed by Tsunade and Kakashi, he'd been requested more times than he could remember. His feisty personality and classically American looks attracted clients to him in droves. Never, though, in his years of service had anyone demanded his presence in the middle of the night with any of the other men Naruto worked with. It was all peculiar to him and somewhat unsettling.

Even as put off as he was by the situation, the infallible optimism he was known for reared its cheerful head. "At least I get to work with Kiba," he murmured distractedly as his body took the turns and steps it knew as if on auto-pilot. "He always makes it easier."

A sudden weight appeared from nowhere on Naruto's back, knocking him off of his feet. The blond landed harshly on the ground, narrowly missing a nearby marble statue.

"Aw, Blondie, I missed you too!" Kiba nuzzled Naruto's shoulder, arms still wrapped tightly around the blond's torso. "We've been apart for so long! I don't how I've made it this long without you!"

Naruto laughed despite the dull throbbing of his wrists from having broken his fall. "God, Kiba, get off!" He cried amusedly, struggling to rise to his elbows.

The brunet responded by wrapping his legs around Naruto's waist and clutching him even tighter. "I can't believe you'd say that to me, Naruto. I thought what we had was _special_!" He moaned dramatically.

Naruto managed to rise on wobbly legs, Kiba still clinging to his back. "Kiba. Seriously, man. You are such a homo." Laughter clung to his voice as he began walking toward the dressing room with his friend attached to his back.

Kiba shifted, resting his arms on Naruto's shoulders and clasping his hands together against the blond's chest. "Hey, in this line of work, that's a good thing."

Another string of laughs escaped Naruto's lips. "That it is, my friend."

After a moment of comfortable silence, Naruto arrived at the dressing room door. "Well, we made it," he said, releasing his hold on Kiba's thighs and bending at the knee to let him.

"Phew. For a second there I was getting worried." Kiba grinned and slid from Naruto's back. He patted the blond's head with a smile. "That'll do, fag. That'll do." (1) The brunet stepped ahead of Naruto, grabbing the doorknob and twisting. He pushed open the door and walked in with Naruto in tow.

"Oh, your words. They wound me so." Naruto laughed, following Kiba through the door.

The two young men stepped into a large, dimly lit room. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, the anchor for several lengths of richly dyed fabric that curved down from the ceiling and were attached at points to the walls. Tapestries rather than paintings decorated the room. The floor was mahogany, polished to the point that they could see their reflections in its gleaming surface. All over there were lounge chairs and settees, feather pillows and decorative cushions. Along the far wall there were vanities with large, lighted mirrors. Each mirror's frame featured a different elegant filigree design carved from the same wood as the floor. Beneath each mirror, the vanities were covered with different types of cosmetics and hygiene products. Beside every vanity there was a large, ornately carved wardrobe and matching side table.

"So, what's the deal with this whole middle of the night group request thing?" Kiba asked, stepping over a dark green cushion.

"Hell if I know," Naruto answered. "I got the same amount of info from Sakura as you did. Except I probably got more of her bitchery."

Kiba snorted. "Aw, Blondie, you know she's just jealous because you're beautiful!"

Naruto rolled his eyes, pulling out the stool in front of his vanity. "Yeah, well, my beauty is my burden around here."

The brunet couldn't help but hear the sadness in his friend's voice as he sat before his own vanity. It wasn't easy to do what they did, but he knew it was hardest on Naruto, as one of the most popular at the manor. He tried to hold on to his smile.

"Fuck, I've got to stop feeding your ego."

It warmed Kiba's heart that Naruto's smile returned, even if it wasn't as bright.

"So where's Neji?"

Kiba leaned closer to his mirror, turning his jaw side to side as he checked his face for any sign of stubble. A cursory glance deemed it acceptable.

"You know the Ice Prince; he's probably in his "personal boudoir"."

Naruto snorted. "Ah, the bathroom. Even the most troubled of souls can find solace on a nice, cool porcelain throne."

Kiba laughed, reaching for his powder puff. A comfortable silence settled over the two men as they both attended to whatever cosmetic needs they required. It was always expected of them to appear before clients in immaculate condition without exception. Usually, that meant hairless and made up to a degree rivaling supermodels.

A soft knock at the door broke the focus both men had developed on their appearance. A moment later, a small, delicate-looking young man entered the room carrying a tray of cups and a teapot. His shining brunet hair hung down past his slim waist. Large, soft eyes the color of chocolate glimmered brightly, lighting up his cheery, remarkably feminine face. His voluptuous lips were smiling softly, but opened as he entered the room.

"You sent for coffee, gentlemen?"

The dainty timbre of the man's voice made Naruto smile. "Yeah. Thanks, Haku."

As the soft-looking young man made his way toward the place where both of them were sitting, Naruto took in the servant with smiling eyes. He had a fittingly sweet and simple name, Haku. The man had worked for The Council for longer than Naruto had, but remained as innocent-looking as the day they had met. It was unfortunate, Naruto had always thought, that such a beautiful and kind person was forced to work in such a place, but it was hardly Haku's fault.

His father, a man named Zabuza, Naruto had learned, had accumulated an enormous debt with the Council by paying for all of his visits through credit and promising to pay it back. Zabuza died young, however, leaving Haku, as Zabuza's only living relative, to repay his father's debt. Rather than wait for Haku, who was only 12 at the time, to turn 18 and allow him to work off what his father owed, Kakashi and Tsunade condemned him to serve their real employees as a maid, servant, or whatever other menial position needed to be filled. His subservient position, The Council felt, served as a warning to those unable to pay the exorbitant fees that they charged.

"How are you doing tonight, sir?" Haku asked jovially, setting a delicate porcelain cup and saucer on Naruto's vanity.

The blond shook his head, scattering his thoughts of pity and sadness for the other man. "Fine," he replied. "And I told you, you don't have to call me sir."

Haku smiled kindly, bowing his head as he placed another cup and saucer beside Kiba's hand. "I'm sorry, Naruto. It's a force of habit, I'm afraid."

Kiba threw his arm around Haku's waist, causing the smaller man to start and blush prettily. "You can always call me sir, Haku," Kiba winked at Haku suggestively. "I think it's kinda kinky."

Naruto swatted at Kiba's arm, making him release Haku from his captive embrace. "Yeah, because we don't get enough of _that._"

Kiba shrugged. "Hey, man, I was into that before I even came here. That's the best part of my night."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Perv," he murmured.

Haku, who had been smiling during the entire conversation as he added cream and sugar to both coffees, cleared his throat daintily. "Excuse me, but is there anything else I can do for you? If not, I was told not to distract you from readying."

A sad smile ghosted over Haku's features. He bowed respectfully, tossing his long hair over his shoulder and picked up his tray to leave. Naruto gently placed his hand on his arm.

"Actually, there is something you can do," he stated.

Haku set his tray down and looked to Naruto with a pretty smile.

Naruto turned back to his vanity, inspecting his appearance. He considered himself for a moment and picked up a thick black eyeliner pencil and began rimming his eyes with it. "I was wondering if you could tell me about the guys that requested us tonight," he stated, smiling. "Since you tend to know everything that goes on here."

Haku let loose a light, girlish laugh. "Naruto, you aren't suggesting that I gossip?" He asked, a falsely abashed look claiming his girlish features.

Kiba stood from his vanity seat and wrapped his arms around Haku's hips from behind. "Come on, Haku, we all know you're the shadow queen. Who else could find out so many dirty little secrets? You're like our little gossip ninja." He purred into Haku's long, pale throat.

The smaller man giggled, half-heartedly pulling at Kiba's arm. "Alright, alright," he consented. "But you know my services don't come cheap."

Kiba ran his nose along the man's jaw, running his dangerously pointed fingernails through Haku's long soft hair. "What a surprise; neither do ours."

Another lilting giggle left Haku's lush lips before he answered. "I heard Sakura talking to Kakashi earlier. Apparently, it's a birthday celebration for someone very precious to him. He said that there will be three people, all men. One for each of you, but the birthday boy goes to you."

Naruto set down his eyeliner and turned to Haku. "I guess that's why Sakura's been such a hardass."

Haku let out a dainty squeak as Kiba picked him up from behind. "Thanks, Haku! You're just the bee's knees." He laughed, placing Haku back on the ground. "What do we owe ya?"

Haku, bright pink in the face, straightened out his shirt before turning around to face Kiba. "Oh, just the usual: a detailed account of what happens tonight." The petite man, for all of his innocence and femininity, had quite the voyeuristic streak in him, and had been longing to fill Kiba or Naruto's shoes for years. Hearing them regale their nightly exploits the following afternoon gave him the kind of thrill that servitude lacked and made work just a little more interesting.

"Consider it done," Naruto remarked, standing from his vanity chair. "Thanks for the coffee, Haku, but we have to change; it's getting late," he stated awkwardly, hoping he didn't sound rude.

"Oh!" Haku flushed, gathering his things onto his lacquered wooden tray. "Of course you do, I'm sorry." He lifted the tray and began toward the door. "Good night, Naruto, Kiba," he said gently over his shoulder.

"Night!" Kiba and Naruto called back in tandem.

The door closed with a soft click and the two men approached their wardrobes, where the night's chosen outfit would lie, already picked out for them. Naruto pulled open the carved wooden doors and sighed at what he found.

"Ugh. You have got to be kidding me."

The only response was Kiba's laughter.

-xXx-

Several minutes later, after wiggling into their outfits and double checking their appearances, Kiba and Naruto were standing on the plush carpeting of the second floor drawing room. The two men were clad only in obscenely tight black vinyl shorts, hardly more than underwear, and thick leather collars. Made up, perfumed, and moisturized, they stood with their feet apart, chins up, and hands crossed at the wrist and resting against the smalls of their backs.

"I wonder if they're hot," Kiba wondered idly, cocking his head to the side in thought. "I mean, most of our guys aren't, but I feel like Kakashi's too vain to have unattractive friends."

Naruto snorted. "Right. I just hope Mr. Birthday Boy doesn't want me to spend all night "blowing out his candle" if you know what I mean."

Kiba barked out a raucous laugh just as the door opened and Sakura entered the room. Per the usual, she immediately glided across the floor, coming to a halt before the two scantily clad men. She eyed them both head to toe, searching for any type of imperfection in their buffed and polished forms. Sakura's footfalls were silenced by the thickly tufted carpeting as she circled Kiba and Naruto.

"At least you've managed to make yourselves presentable."

Her words slithered over Naruto like snakes, cold and venomous. As Sakura began to inspect them a clammy anxiety settled over Naruto. She examined them predatorily, ready to strike at the smallest of flaws. Usually her last minute onceovers were unpleasant bouts of nitpicking and snide comments, but the night's secrets and apprehensions had set them all on edge. Any alleviation of his worries he had felt during his reprieve with Kiba had melted away, replaced with uneasiness.

After completing her circle she stepped back from the two and crossed her hands before her. "Well, if this is the best you can do, I suppose I'm not to blame," Sakura sniffed, standing between the two, back turned. "Though for the money your customers pay, I'd expect a little more."

"Good thing we're not here to please _you, _then," Kiba quipped without missing a beat.

"I warn you, Kiba, your insolence—"

"Oh come on, Sakura," Kiba's smirk was audible. "You know that if you could afford to get rid of me you would've done it by now."

Sakura turned sharply to face him. Anger ricocheted across her delicate, painted features quick as lightning. A moment later, her countenance settled itself back into its usual placid porcelain mask. Her voice was the timbre of distant thunder.

"Your worth to me lies below your hips and above your thighs. As that's less than unique, it's hardly a matter of not being able to be rid of you; you're simply still making me money."

Kiba's cheek and Sakura's icy snark had made them natural enemies, but this was something else entirely. Naruto glanced at the man beside him, unsure of what to say or do. He could just barely hear Kiba grinding his teeth beside him. The brunet made no other sound.

"No snarky comeback, Mr. Inuzuka?" Sakura stalked a slow step forward, jade eyes blazing into Kiba's own. "Have you finally learned when to stop barking?"

Naruto's eyebrows furrowed in confusion when Kiba gave no reply. It was unlike his friend to accept ridicule, especially from Sakura. He could see the tension in Kiba's shoulders, hear his teeth grind together as the brunet valiantly attempted to stave off rage. Sakura's malice had caused a sickening fury to bubble in his own stomach, and to see Kiba remain silent in its wake was pushing him to his breaking point. Just as he was turning to face Sakura's demure, emotionless face, a voice sounded from the back of the room.

"Don't count on it."

Sakura's triumphant smirk shriveled into a crooked stripe of maroon across her face. The brunt of Naruto's anger dissipated at the sound of the cold, familiar voice.

"Well," Sakura began in a voice that sounded the slightest bit tremulous. "It's about time, Mr.—"

"Spare me, Sakura," The cool, deep voice dismissed her easily. "I don't come when you beckon me."

Neji stalked forward to stand just behind Kiba and Naruto. He was easily a head taller than both of them; he towered over Sakura. With a well-manicured hand, he flicked long, silky black hair over his exposed shoulder. Against his milky skin it looked like a shadow.

"Kiba, Naruto, let's go. It's time," Neji turned without another word and stalked from the room as silently as he had entered it.

Kiba's eyes were still narrowed on Sakura, his face a handsome mask of anger. His fists were clenched as his sides, muscular shoulders stiff with tension. Naruto lifted a hand and placed it on the firm muscle of Kiba's bicep. The skin was hot beneath his palm.

"Come on, they're waiting on us," Naruto said in his best impersonation of glib smugness.

He turned, bringing Kiba begrudgingly with him. As he turned away from her, Naruto caught of glimpse of Sakura, her ruby lips again curled upward into a smirk. It rekindled the fire of anger in his gut. He faced Sakura once again, Kiba halting as he turned toward her.

"I wonder," he spat, his voice dripping with venom. "Do you remember what it's like to be wanted?"

The look of shock on Sakura's face was more vindicating than he had anticipated. Forcing himself to savor it only for a moment, Naruto turned his back and began to walk out of the room. From the corner of his eye, he could see the smile returning to Kiba's face.

* * *

I know right? This is some crazy stuff...Ok, so I know I promised Enter the Sasuke, but this time I mean it! Next chapter, for realsies. Promise...Guys, just trust me. Please? I swear this time...Don't break my legs.

TK-06~


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